German Shepherds are amongst dog breeds with the highest energy. After all, these dogs were originally bred for working and guarding flocks of sheep, and more recently used by military and police forces. Because of this, they’d definitely do well with a targeted German Shepherd workout.
Of course, their exercise needs can vary based on a number of factors including their age, fitness level, general health, their food intake and more. However, generally speaking, if you have a German Shepherd then you probably need to provide more intense types of agility exercise to meet their energy needs.
Rocky is a beautiful 1 year old West German Showline German Shepherd from the state of Washington. Check out Rocky performing a few of the jumping exercises from the PetFitness plan. Jumping is a great way to build added strength and endurance for your dog.
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Try these exercises with your dog, especially if you have a German Shepherd. You could buy a dog agility set online for under $50. Many will come with the types of equipment you see in the above video.
A German Shepherd has an innate ability to jump more than other dog breeds. Therefore, a lot of the exercises will focus more on jumping than other types of exercises.
German Shepherds are full of boundless energy and often jump up at people as a way of greeting them. They will also jump out of aggression to protect their familiars from danger. But because German Shepherds are so energetic, they may jump over fences out of boredom. In other words, these dogs jump a lot. Use their innate jumping abilities as a way to further improve their natural exercise and health.
Jumping will build your dog improved strength and endurance. All dogs jump – whether it’s jumping up on the couch or jumping in an agility trial. It is a natural motion for every dog. Jumping is instinctive for dogs and in the wild would have been important for catching prey. A dog’s jumping style and strength is paramount to maintaining your pup’s physical health and soundness.
However, if you are the lucky owner of a short leg breed, such as Dachshund, you shouldn’t encourage them to jump because there is a real (and high) risk of spinal injury. You should know your dog breed’s strengths and also its weaknesses. Know your dog’s limitations! In other words, don’t train a Dachshund the same way as a German Shepherd!
